Former Player Shuts Down A Popular Browns Rumor

The Cleveland Browns quarterback situation has generated no shortage of speculation since Deshaun Watson was named the Week 1 starter, but former NFL defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko pushed back against rumors suggesting internal division within the organization. With various analysts questioning everything from Watson’s decision-making to his standing with the fan base, Fehoko did not hold back when addressing what he described as false reporting on the situation.

“I will never throw my sources under the bus. However, this is true. I’ve talked to more than a handful of people in the Browns organization. Deshaun is the quarterback that the locker room, coaching staff, and front office supports. Anyone reporting otherwise or little birdies telling them is straight up lying,” Fehoko posted.

I will never throw my sources under the bus. However, this is true. I’ve talked to more than a handful of people in the Browns organization. Deshaun is the quarterback that the locker room, coaching staff, and front office supports. Anyone reporting otherwise or “little birdies… https://t.co/BR5Jknb4v9

— Breiden Fehoko (@BreidenFehoko) August 26, 2026

Fehoko’s comments push against speculation that has circulated in recent days, with several reports suggesting owner Jimmy Haslam may have influenced or even directed the decision to start Watson, despite Todd Monken repeatedly stating publicly that the call was entirely his own. Those same reports have pointed to an alleged divide within the front office and locker room over whether Watson truly represented the best choice.  None of those claims about Haslam’s involvement or internal disagreement have been independently confirmed, and Monken has been consistent in his public messaging that he made the decision based on his own evaluation.

Given the ownership structure in Cleveland and the fully guaranteed nature of Watson’s contract, it remains a real possibility that influence from above Monken played some role in how this decision unfolded, even if that cannot be proven one way or the other at this point. What is clear is that the Watson decision has generated enough uncertainty and conflicting information that even insiders are questioning how unified the building truly is.

Whether the decision ultimately came from Monken alone, as he has stated, or carried influence from ownership, as some reports have suggested, may only become clear over time based on how the organization handles any potential quarterback change if Watson struggles. For now, Browns fans are left weighing conflicting accounts of just how settled and unified this quarterback decision truly was behind the scenes, even as the team moves forward with Watson under center for Week 1.